Terry Wills on life at the Hawthorns.
Last week after predicting the Baggies would lose 1-0 at Crystal Palace I added “Come on Baggies, prove me wrong.”
Message received and understood – a goal old from Saloman Rondon rounding off a deserved win that saw Albion instilled in a top four Europe-challenging spot. And that last comment is VERY much tongue in cheek!
Nevertheless it was a good performance based on Tony Pulis’ philosophy of don’t concede a goal and we’ve achieved a result. It was certainly a far more liberated, positive performance. Rondon was a constant threat, Evans outstanding, Ben Foster pulling off a tremendous double save and as is our trademark, difficult to defend against set pieces.
All this came with a virtual unchanged team from last season apart from Matt Phillips, so hopefully with the acquisition of the never -nding rumoured deadline day transfer targets things can only get better? Like most fans the continuing Saidio Berahino saga is boringme. The sooner it’s sorted one way or the other the happier I’ll be.
On to our first home game , against the blue half of merseyside, namely Everton, complete with a certain Mr Lukaku. What would Baggies fans give to see him back in a Albion shirt and terrorising defences as in that 5-5 draw against Manchester United? Dream over!
Forecasting against a background of possible new players isn’t easy. What is easy is that the Baggies’ home form needs a 100% improvement on last season. Games need to be won but whether the Toffees will come unstuck we’ll simply have to wait and see.
Prediction? Sitting on the fence a draw has to be considered most likely. Everton are an up and coming side that play entertaining football, with many pundits feeling that at their best they can trouble most sides. Let’s hope they’re not at their best on Saturday.
